Saturday, August 31, 2013

Sam the Record Man sign probably gone for good

The
iconic neon Sam the Record Man sign will likely never cast its rays on
Yonge Street again. Ryerson University, which bought and demolished the
famous Yonge Street record store to make way for its new Student
Learning Centre, promised to re-hang the sign in 2008, but now the city
is preparing to let the university off the hook.

A revised heritage proposal,
which still needs the approval of city council, requires Ryerson to
keep the sign in storage for up to two years while "other preservation
opportunities are explored." The change also mandates alternative
"commemorative actions" by the university in the form of a granite or
bronze interpretive plaque to be sunk into the sidewalk just north of
Gould Street.

Ryerson
has been stalling on returning the two-storey sign to the street -
Yonge or Gould - for more than five years, citing cost, design, and
safety concerns. A report by custom signage experts Gregory Signs &
Engraving Ltd. said mercury could leak from the sign in the event of a
fire. A shortage of qualified neon sign professionals, a problem that also disrupted restoration of the El Macambo sign, further stymied progress.

To further complicate the issue, the architects responsible for the
Student Learning Centre noted the giant records clashed with the modern
design of the new building. "[Snohetta and Zeidler Partnership
Architects] cited resource and energy concerns, conflict with the design
of the new building and the distraction within the interior of the
building caused by the signs' flashing lights," the report says.

The
sign was built in 1961 to mark Sam Sniderman's flagship record store.
The company grew from a stand in the Sniderman family's radio store to a
much-loved nationwide chain - "140 locations, coast to coast." Today
only one store remains, tucked in a corner of the Quinte Mall in
Belleville, Ont.
Heritage staff say they're "disappointed" the signs won't been
restored to their original location but are "satisfied" Ryerson explored
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